For a client recently I published some commentary on recent news in the financial services technology (Fintech) market. Just sharing the publicly available portions here for your interest – and of course comments!

Here’s the first one …

Online Banking Increases Lead While Mobile Banking Continues to Lag

Online Banking (OLB) is far ahead now — 55% v. 28% for branch v. 2% for mobile — as the most satisfying channel for retail banking consumers according to May 2011 study from Foresee. Cautiously good news for leading providers like Fiserv (FISV), Intuit (INTU), Jack Henry (JKHY).

OLB’s main competition (or complement) is the branch. Together they make up nearly 75% of the channel preference for retail consumers. Financial services (FI) firms should continue to see these channels as complementary, driving as much customer interaction as possible to electronic channels but integrating the experience with the branch and other personal touch points rather than trying to fully replace them.

Mobile continues to lag because it is often erroneously sought as an OLB or branch channel replacement (to further drive out service costs and serve younger demographic segments). Since it is not a replacement at all, it falls naturally short of retail banking customer expectations and needs, and in turn harms its value proposition.

Mobile is more likely a successor (or complement) to the ATM and call center – and at best a complement to the online channel. Until some day far in the future, if a killer mobile device form factor emerges, mobile banking is likely to be over-hyped and under-performing. The aforementioned FinTech firms plus others such as ClairMail, FireThorn (Qualcomm (NASDAQ:QCOM)), mFoundry, the telcos are heavily invested in mobile banking technologies and apps — and their strategies need to be well crafted or they’ll continue to miss the mark and expectations.

This will mean for foreseeable future mobile banking will at best grow to 15% penetration as the “preferred” retail banking channel. A better strategy is a focused and integrated set of functionality centered around payments and customer service.

An online bank — as a stand alone or as the flag ship of retail strategy for a brick and mortar FI — done right has a significant and receptive market awaiting it. . .